Lullaby in the Moonlight
by Marineneko
Summary: Guess what? Another translation. Couldn't help it. One-shot. Nightmares harass young Ren, but a friend will help him sleep. Shounen-ai implied. Homophobes, stay away!


**Title:** Lullaby in the moonlight

**By: **Marineneko

**Rating:** General.

**Genre:** Drama / Fluff

**Summary:** Nightmares harass young Ren, but a friend will help him sleep. Shounen-ai implied. Homophobes, stay away!

**Preliminary Notes:**

I wrote this one-shot while I was in a romantic mood. Hope you don't mind the slight shounen-ai-ness. I based this fic on a fanart that imôto-chan sent me. Please enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Ren-sama is not mine. He's imôto-chan's. (Nah, Takei's, but whatever XD)

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

**Lullaby in the moonlight. **

**A fanfic by Marineneko. **

****

A small child stared as the blood fell mercilessly from the lifeless body of the Kyonshii's victim. The ground was covered in a thick, red liquid while the other man, the child's father, took delight on the whole scene.

"Look, Ren," He said. "Look at your reign, your kingdom… As the Taoke's future leader, you will see this very often… And, like me, you shall learn to enjoy it. Rejoice!"

Those words could only make the three-year-old gasp in fear, reaction that was countered with a blow to his face.

"If you are not strong, you will not be able to inherit all this… and then, you shall deserve death. Never forget this, Ren."

The blood splashed over the child's body when he hit the ground. But it was not only the cadaver's blood… There was also some of his own mixed into the strange combination of red plasma.

Biting down any reaction at his father's words and the pain in his small extremities, Ren stood up and looked at his father's eyes, daring him to strike again.

"Leave, child." Said En Tao, but a vicious smile adorned his unemotional face as soon as the boy did.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Jun-nee-chan..."

A whimper could be heard in the boy's room. Ren thought that maybe his father had heard him, and inhaled as hard as he could. Involuntarily, he whimpered again and hiccupped, so he had to bury his face into the pillow.

It bothered him. He felt pitiful, to be crying every night because of his nightmares. He didn't think that crying was worthy of a strong man… or at least that was what his father had said.

But, after all, six-year-old Ren could not help it. Every time that he required some rest, the pain came. When he didn't like something, he had no right to complain. His only source of solace was his elder sister, Jun. She would talk to him, and sing and play with him whenever she could do it. The boy delighted in his sister's sweet playing of the ErHu, a sort of Chinese violin. Ren adored his sister… she was the only person that dared to treat him as an equal.

But tonight, Jun was out; probably on a training mission with her loyal Kyonshii, Lee Pai Long. Ren was alone, only accompanied by his stuffed tiger... and the darkness of the night.

He was not afraid of darkness, no... He knew that shadows were his allies. But he still suffered by the absence of his sister. He clutched onto the plush doll tightly and got off the bed; then started looking for his sister's instrument.

Finally, he found it. He sat on the bed's edge,, with the ErHu between his short legs. The violin's length surpassed his stature for several inches. He didn't mind, though. The small boy took the instrument's bow and started playing the only melody he knew.

"The full moon shines over the mountains in autumn... Streams that reflect the moonlight..." The childish, sweet voice rose timidly into the cold nocturnal air. He feared awakening his parents, which only could gain him pain. He didn't notice that, from his mortuary tablet, Bason watched him carefully.

"The full moon shines over the mountains in autumn... Streams that reflect the moonlight..." No way he could have forgotten the lyrics! Jun had sung it for him so many times before…

"The full moon shi-" His voice broke down in a silent cry. He really missed his sister. He was too young, too weak still. He hated to admit it, but...

"I'll search for you in the wintery nights... amidst the shadows..." Sang a deep voice while an ethereal hand positioned itself on the boy's shoulder.

"Bocchama..."

Ren tried to regain his composure. It was not good for his spirit to see him in this moment of vulnerability.

"Bason, go back to your tablet."

"But... Bocchama..."

"It's an order!"

"Ren Bocchama... Could you... listen for once?"

"All right." He said in an annoyed tone, with a hint of sadness. "What the hell do you want?"

"Just... Just this time..." Started the spirit.

Ren was surprised by the vulnerability and sincerity that shone in the spirit's opaque eyes. Usually, he was as cold as Ren himself.

"Let me help you, Bocchama..."

Without giving a verbal answer, the boy relaxed against his spirit's body, giving him his whole trust so that they could touch. He leaned against his chest while Bason took the ErHu, which was rather small for him. He started to play a melody unknown to Ren; he had never heard his sister nor his mother play it before. A while later, Bason's deep voice started to sing again, lulling his small master into a peaceful sleep. He couldn't make out every single word mentioned, but...

"In the shadows... I will be with you and you shall remain by my side"

"...In the shadows... my friend... In the shadows..." Ren's mind supplied. He didn't remember hearing the melody before, but it was still so familiar…

"...When the ice turns back to the sea... The moon watching from afar..."

"Having your hand in mine... my friend... In the shadows..." 

The delicate music diminished Ren's whimpers. He was invaded by a peaceful feeling. Both voices entwined with the melody in such a manner that the harmony was soothing… Ren was being comforted by Bason's voice.

Finally, the boy fell asleep, still clutching his stuffed tiger doll. Since he was already in bed, Bason didn't have to do that much effort to tuck him in and then go back to his tablet. This had been an experience he never would forget, no matter how his lord would be when he grew up.

"In the shadows..."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The girl sat beside the young man, in a futile attempt to get him to hold her. He was still not used to that kind of behavior from strangers towards him and moved aside, taking the long instrument in his hands once again. Tao Ren meditated while he practiced his exercises with the ErHu.

"Na, Len... You play that thing?"

"...I guess," he answered, not really paying attention to the girl. "It's an old... family tradition."

"And what songs can you play?"

Instead of answering, the young man took the bow in his slender hands and started playing a melancholic melody. The girl could then see clearly the memory of a cold, cloudless night, the full moon shining brightly, and a child resting against an older man's chest while he played the very same melody to him.

_"...In the shadows..."_

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

FINITO

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

****

****

**Final notes:**

I liked it, at least. It's the only fic I've written _and_ liked, in fact. Hope you liked it too 

Regards.

Marineneko


End file.
